Blackpool NHS teaching hospitals say multiple breaches to mixed-sex ward rule were 'justified'

It comes as the number of breaches across England has soared since the coronavirus pandemic began, with March seeing the second-highest number since 2011-12 – according to NHS England data.

The Patients Association said mixed-sex wards are "an affront to patients' dignity", claiming the stress they cause prohibits a strong recovery.

But the hospital trust said these were ‘justified breaches’, and that all reasonable steps were taken to maintain the privacy and dignity of patients affected.

Bridget Lees, Director of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals and Quality, told the Gazette: “The reporting of breaches concerning single sex wards includes occasions when there is a delay in patients being stepped down from a critical care area such as Cardiac Intensive Care to a hospital ward.”

The breaches occurred during October and November with no subsequent breaches being reported during the remaining six-month period.

They added: “In all the reported cases, each patient’s condition had changed meaning they no longer required critical care support. Although their care and treatment could continue on a ward, each patient’s step down was necessarily delayed until a bed on the most appropriate ward became available."

At Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, there were no breaches in March this year or in March 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

National breaches of mixed-sex ward rule

Nationally, there were almost 4,500 instances where mixed-sex rules were broken in March – the second-highest single month since 2011-12 and more than triple the 1,446 instances recorded in March 2019.

Recording breaches was suspended from March 2020 to September 2021 due to the pandemic, but when logging rule-breaking returned, there were 2,289 occurrences, while every month since this past December has topped 4,000.

‘an affront to patients' dignity’

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: "Mixed sex wards are an affront to patients' dignity.

"No patient wants to receive intimate, personal care on a mixed sex ward, and it's the sort of stress that doesn't promote recovery."

However, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust told the Gazette that there are times when the need to urgently admit and treat a patient can override the need for complete segregation of sexes.

“There are some clinical circumstances where mixing can be justified. These are few, and mainly confined to patients who need highly specialised care, such as that delivered in critical care and intensive care units.”

An NHS spokesperson said: "Offering single-sex accommodation is a requirement under the NHS Standard Contract.

"Trusts across the country are taking action to reduce or eliminate unjustified breaches, which remain rare."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We have been clear patients should not have to share sleeping accommodation with others of the opposite sex and should have access to segregated bathroom and toilet facilities, and we expect NHS trusts to comply with these measures."